This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.Ī Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way 'girls who write their pain on their bodies' scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a 'semifamous' local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her-who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves-Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she 'like-likes' but who had pined for Ellis instead.

Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. Despite some formulaic writing, readers will be drawn into the world of Kagawa’s first Japan-based fantasy with its engaging action scenes and the cliffhanger ending, they will look forward to the next volume.Īfter surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself. Readers who know these tales will recognize familiar elements and tropes. Kagawa ( Inferno, 2018, etc.) uses elements of Japanese mythology and folklore to spin an epic yarn. Yumeko, being half-human and half–fox spirit and secretly carrying another part of the scroll, is also wary of Tatsumi. But as he travels with Yumeko he finds himself feeling more than he should. Tatsumi is bound to the sword of Kamigoroshi, the godslayer, and must remain devoid of emotion in order to keep the demon Hakaimono imprisoned within it. Tatsumi, demon slayer of the Shadow Clan, journeys with Yumeko of the Silent Winds temple to head off Lady Satomi’s demonic attack on the Steel Feather temple, which houses one piece of the scroll.

Now both the emperor’s concubine, Lady Satomi, and the Shadow Clan race to obtain the scroll. After one such wish brought destruction and chaos to the land of Iwagoto, the scroll was divided into three pieces and hidden away. As the time of prophecy draws near, rivals seek the relic that will allow them to call upon the dragon god.Īn ancient scroll holds the prayer that summons the dragon who will grant one wish every thousand years.

Hakaimono shadow of the fox